cetemarfandomcom-20200215-history
Princips Al Sahelia
Summary "I watched in horror as the children played catch with their undead friend. The grotesque thing, dressed just like all the other children, could do little but paw at the ball with its stubby arms, roll its milky white eyes, and gibber--for it had no teeth or lower jaw. The children laughed with delight. And I learned to hold back my revulsion, for the Saheli are a different people. To them the Undying are pets, servants, resources, tools to survive in their harsh land." '' ''--3rd Report of Effezius, to the Kings of Midia The Princips Al Sahelia, the Saheli, the Sahelians, The Principalities of Death The the Caravan Clans, the 14 Cities. The Saheli are an ancient culture of merchant princes who live among the undead, harvesting them for numerous functions in their society. Their harsh desert home borders the edge of the Planum Sangre. The 14 clans live in huge fortresses of clay and concrete called qalats. The qalats protect them from attacks and robbery by fellow clans--and being overrun by large hordes of "undomesticated" Undying. Appearance Saheli are a tall, lean people with dark hair and eyes, and skin from tan to black. Men and women wear their hair long, often braided with precious metals or jewels. Earrings and jewelry are common among both sexes. They dress in the most expensive fabrics they can afford--and dress their family and servants, living or dead, likewise. History Founding Use of Undying Fearless around the undead, the Saheli use them for guards, servants, mounts, and for powering machinery--and as a means of keeping wealth and property within families. Ghilan Aman, Domesticated Undead The "Silent Ones," "Mutterers," or "Cold Friends," serve in every imaginable domestic capacity. The Undying retain some fraction of sentience, and can be taught simple tasks with a bit of magic, and a bit of meat. Most domesticated undead are defanged, and have their arms removed. Many are stuffed with sweet-smelling herbs, having their skin leathered with embalming ointments. While more pleasant to be around, the Ghilan Aman expire very quickly, lasting for less than a year. The Ghilan Aman serve as * Cleaners * Nannies * Litter Bearers * Transport * Food servers * Butlers Ghilan Rabia, Undomesticated Undead The "Raging Dead," "Hungry Ones," or "Growlers," are much more dangerous undead. Kept mostly in their original form, Ghilan Rabia are ravenous; and will attack anyone, including their owners. With feeding the Rabia can survive for decades. However, most are worked hard, and decompose with a year or two. Crafty Saheli have made devious modifications to their pets, including replacing their teeth and claws with iron, outfitting them with armor, and replacing lower arms with clubs and blades. Some subjects are even hollowed out to hold incendiaries, making them walking undead bombs. The majority of Ghilan Rabia are not outfitted for war. They are instead used to power flour mills, dynamos, and Truks. The Ghilan Rabia serve as * Fighters * Grenades * Laborers Old Fathers, Undead Princes of the Saheli The Old Fathers are a unique solution to the problem of Saheli inheritance rules. The clans follow a severe custom of inheritance. If a Prince dies, all possessions are divided among the greater clan. Without fail, this has led to bloody conflict within families, leaving the clan battered and vulnerable to being overrun by their erstwhile undead subjects. Instead, the Saheli avoid the issue of inheritance entirely, by "Baptism of the Plain." Dying Saheli are taken into the edged of the Planum Sangre for "baptism," a torturous process of organ drying, nail and teeth removal. Injection of resin and funerary spices into the skin quickly follows--and must be done prior to the subject's death. Once the Saheli dies within the Planum Sangre, he will rise as an Undying. The newly baptized retains rights and lands within clan families. These "Old Fathers" are kept secure, well-fed, and are occasionally brought out in public for holidays, weddings, and to serve as evidence in legal disputes. There have been rumors of Old Fathers rising as liches, mind and powers intact. And some fear this is why two kasr-fortresses have been lost recently. Trade and Truk The Saheli are fabulously wealthy because they control most of the trade routes into northern Leviatha. They hold a near-monopoly on amber, northern timber, furs, and highly sought after ice wines. Saheli are wealthy as well, because they have a seemingly inexhaustible resource: the Undying. They pay little cost for labor. Using these creatures, the Saheli power giant-wheeled caravans called "truks," ''as well as numerous other machines, like water pumps and grain mills. Undying need no food, or water. They never rebel or run away. They labor day and night. And when they eventually fall apart, there are thousands more replacements. Faith and MagicCategory:Cultures Saheli practice a syncretic faith system that is based in magic and worship. It as old as the earliest gods. In their culture, Saheli hold no distinction between Deist, Lore, and Innate magics. Songs of Horror In each of the 19 clans lies a repository of clay tablets, and numerous parchment scrolls (yet the Saheli have no sheep or cattle). All Saheli of noble birth are required to spend 3 years memorizing poetry from their ancestors. These poems are said to hold great powers, including necromancy and other dark arts. The few outsiders who have read the poems (and survived) recall them with dread. Most refuse to repeat the words, alluding to them as Songs of Horror. Blessed Voices Those Saheli with innate gifts, excellent perception, or blessing from the gods, can find hidden meaning within the Songs develop their powers. There are no schools or orders in the culture. Each Saheli must follow their own path. This results in a preponderance of magically gifted persons, with few who rise to greater power. If one devotee could read all 19 collections, he would become a terrifyingly powerful necromancer. The Price Paid While the Saheli are fearless around gore and Undying, they are quite fearful and superstitious about death itself. All Saheli know through their traditions that they are dabbling in necromancy--a province they believed reserved for the Gods of Death Some are fatalistic, resigned to punishment in the afterlife. Other Saheli are apologetic to the point of obsession, offering sacrifices for every perceived transgression. Still others strive to emulate Father Death, killing prolifically. Finally, others seek delay or reprieve. Many Saheli consider the transition to Undying as cheating death. Warfare Most Saheli consider warfare as bad for business. But the 19 clans have constantly vied for more power. Some clans have attempted to invade the Dreglands and the free city of Rampart, but with little success. Most of their armies, while large, are made of Undying. What these beings have in viciousness and tenacity is matched by their inability to follow complex orders, or take initiative. And the Undying serve better defensively, as a deterrent to invasion from powers like the Fellmark and the Greater Midian Empire. When called to fight, Saheli use their Undying in mass waves, in hopes of demoralizing the enemy and breaking their lines. Then Saheli knights and archers can ride down and rout them. When defending their cities, Saheli use a variety of catapults and trebuchets to launch Undying into the ranks of the enemy. They also will let hundreds of the undead loose in the outer walls to drive off foes. Cities and Towns There are 19 known cities within the Princips lands. Unlike other nations, there are almost no outlying towns or villages, other than bandit holds in the mountains. The land is arid, and has little wood or suitable stone for wall building; and there are hordes of Undying who would wipe out smaller villages. The oldest cities are denoted by "Kasr" first in their name. Newer fortresses have the name of the founder "Ibn" first in the name. # '''Ibn'Kasr' (Son's Fort) population: 5,000 living (~40,000 Undying). It is the newest fortified city within the Sahelia. In its 200 years of existence it has yet to be tested by a full horde of undead. # Kasr'Abyad (Fortress White) population: 10,000 living (~35,000 Undying). It is named after its bone-white walls. The city is one of the first of the Saheli, and controls key trade routes. # Kasr'Ahmar (Fortress Red) population: 25,000 living (~60,000 Undying). It is built on an isolated massif in the western thorn forests of Saheli. Kasr'Ahmar is the nearest fortress to Ramparthos. # Kasr'Arba (Fortress of the Spear) population: 10,000 (~50,000 Undying). It is the westernmost city of Sahelia; and fights with Kasr'Mal for the lucrative trade into the eastern Midian Empire. # Kasr'Dahab (Fortress Gold) population 50,000 living (~30,000 Undying). It is the oldest city in Sahelia; and is reputed to have massive treasuries, as well as ancient armor, weapons, and spell scrolls. # Kasr'Ithnan (Second Fortress) population # Kasr'Jabal (Fortress Mount) population 20,000 living (40,000 Undying). It is the last Sahelian city in the eastern mountains. The city sits relatively undefended on a high plateau surrounded by fields of volcanic # Kasr'Mal (Fortress of the King) # Kasr'Qamar (Fortress Moon) population # Kasr'Sadin (Fortress of the Singer) # Kasr'Sahe (Fort of the Border?) # Khal'Kasr (Uncle's Fortress) # Ur'Kasr (Great Fort) # ??? Kasr'Milh (Fortress of Salt?) (city north of Novygrod) Lost Destroyed Cities # Jadda'Kasr (Elder's Fortress) destroyed 300 years ago. It was a great city who commanded eastern trade. It was rumored to have been destroyed by its rivals, Kasr'Jabal and Kasr'Dahab. The rival cities have secured a series of tunnels under the ruins to continue trading. # Kasr'Barud (Fortress of Dust) abandoned 200 years ago. It was a powerful city-state who had a deadly rivalry with its neighbor, Kasr'Mait. They warred for centuries, ignoring other threats. Kasr'Barud was abandoned when the silt sands of the Babal Mawte rose to the height of their walls--allowing Undying to overrun their city. # Kasr'Ihna (Fortress of the Enemy) destroyed 1,000 years ago. It was the first city to command the trade routes into the Planum Sangre, and the northern Orkik empires. Refugees founded Kasr'Ithnan. # Kasr'Mait (Fortress of Law) destroyed 150 years ago. It once held the Covenant of Princes, the laws of the Saheli people. The fortress waged a war against Kasr'Barud for centuries, but was ultimately destroyed by an Fellmark orkik army determined to purify the land for their blood gods. The ruins were returned to the Saheli when the Midian Legions drove out the Fellmark, and occupied Noga. # ??? Kasr'Saraja (Fortress of the Tree?) (city west of Kasr'Ahmar)